Song of the Day (Covers): Meat Beat Manifesto – Asbestos Lead Asbestos

Day 2. The original version of Asbestos Lead Asbestos, by World Domination Enterprises, is punishing Post-Punk Noise Rock. A super heavy, low frequency rhythm section keeps it together while guitars plunge into chasms of industrial noise. It’s sinister & terrifying, lyrically portraying anger at being on the wrong end of the Thatcherites class war.

By contrast, the Meat Beat Manifesto version utilises Trip-Hop type drums & bass alongside a soundscape of sampled organs & claustrophobic synth sounds to create a thick atmosphere pitched somewhere between the narco-dystopia of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World & the witch hunting, “reds under the bed”, snitch culture of Cold War paranoia. It’s difficult to decide which version is scarier.

Well he might say yes, but he might mean no
Asbestos lead asbestos
Sell him the coffee table, go boy go
Asbestos lead asbestos
It’s chipboard quality, easy instalment scheme
Lead asbestos
And Patrick lives under the roundabout
Nobody told him different
Blows out the break dust behind the caravan
Asbestos lead asbestos
If they’re lucky they get put in White City
Lead asbestos
Times are hard and the kids ain’t learning a thing
Asbestos lead asbestos
Except stealing and fighting
Asbestos lead asbestos
So they offer him a salary
Asbestos lead asbestos
National Health and a pension scheme
Asbestos lead asbestos
So he can lie in his bed while he bleeds to death

Lead Asbestos (x7)
Happy fun tune

So we hand them rich women coffee party handouts
Asbestos lead asbestos
Fill it full of sick cause someone’s gotta eat it
Asbestos lead asbestos
And it won’t be us cause we’re the smart ones
Asbestos lead asbestos
Motivated, public school, we live on the west side
Lead asbestos
Equal opportunity, except if our pedigree dogs
Don’t like the smell of your children

Lead Asbestos (x7)
Happy fun tune

They’re stealing and fighting
But we live on the west side

Looking for some great music? Why not check the Song of the Day (Covers) Spotify Playlist